Key and combination operated lock



July 29, 1941. H. MACHINIST KEY AND COMBINATION OPERATED LOCK Filed Febj. 28, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented July 29, 1941 2,251,145 KEY AND COMBINATION OPERATED LOOK Harold Machinist, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Dudley Lock Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illino' Application February 28, 1940, Serial N0. 321,173

13 Claims. ICI. 'l0-319) This invention is concerned with locks f the 'l type which include a permutation mechanism through which the bolt or locking member is operable, and also a key-operated mechanism for independently actuating such locking member. 7,

One object of the invention is to provide a simple and reliable mechanism of sturdy construction and designed for economical production. Another object is to provide a normally disengaged coupler between the key-operated mechanism and the bolt-actuating means, adapted to be automatically engaged upon insertion of the proper key. A further object is to include in the structure means controlled by the key-operated mechanism and adjustable for altering the position of the dial relative to the permutation mech- Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken substantially at the axis of the knob on Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is taken as a section as indicated at line 3 3 on Fig. 2 and shows the relation of the permutation disks to the bolt.

Fig. 4 is a section taken principally as indicated at line 4 4 on Fig. 2` for showing the boltactuating means which is operable by the keycontrolled mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal axial section taken as indicated at line 5 5 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a transverse detail section as indicated at line 6 6 on Fig. 5. y

Fig. 7 is a transverse section at line 6 6 on Fig. 5, showing the plug turned through the limited angle in which it actuates the clutch for key operation of the lock.

Fig. 8 is a transverse detail section at the line 8 8 on Fig. 5, but with the key plug and casing in elevation and showing the parts in the same position as in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a transverse detail section at the line 9 9 on Fig. 5, but with the key plug and casing in elevation.

Fig. 10 is a transverse section at the line 9 9 on Fig. 5, but with the key plug and casing in elevation and showing the plug turned to the angle for declutching the knob in the resetting operation.

Fig, 11 is a transverse detail section at the line I I I I, on Fig. 5, but with the key plug and casing in elevation and showing the parts in the same position as in Fig. 10.

The lock which is the subject of this invention is adapted for various types of closures, such as lockers, wall safes, cupboards or cabinet drawers. As illustrated, the lock mechanism is contained in a case I of rectangular outline, having flanges 2, 2 at opposite ends for securement against the rear face of a door or other closure such as that indicated as a thickness of sheet metal at 3 in Fig. 1. A face plate d is applied to the outer face of the door panel 3 and has a rotatable knob 5 and a dial 6 associated with it. The knob is provided with a key slot l for the introduction of a key to actuate the bolt 8 independently of the permutation mechanism, and this same key slot may receive a second key for use in changing the combination of the permutation mechanism. The bolt 8 is slidably carried in the case by a plate 9 which may be integral with the bolt, or may comprise a portion of it, and which is guided between the end Walls I0, IIJ of the case for movement sufficient to project the bolt through a suitable opening in the wall I I or withdraw it to a position substantially ush with that Wall. Within the casing I and spaced from the back wall I2 a partition plate I3 provides a surface upon which the plate 9 is slidably carried, and extending forwardly from the partition I3 a bearing sleeve I 4 serves to journal the spindle 50 which operates the bolt through a key mechanism, as hereinafter described; and the sleeve lil also serves as a bearing for the tumbler disks I5, I6 and I'I of the permutation mechanism. These disks are separated by the usual spacing washers I8 and are interengageable with each other by means of lugs I9 which project from adjacent faces of the tumbler disks. 'Ihe outer disk I'I is formed with a hub 20 having notches 2 I which interengage with lugs 22 of a drive member 23 whose function is to transmit rotation from the knob 5 to the permutation disks in a manner about to be described.

Within the knob 5 there is mounted the cylindrical casing 30 and the key plug 3| of a keycontrolled cylinder lock. The interior surface of the knob 5 is formed with a plurality of angularly spaced pockets 32 and a hole 33 in the casing30 carries a clutch ball 34 normally in engagement with one of the pockets 32. 'I'he cylindrical surface of .the key plug 3| supports the ball 34 in this relation, the diameter of the ball being greater than the thickness of the wall of the casing 30 as seen in Fig. 5. Near its inner end the cas- Casing ing 35 is provided with a pair of radially projecting lugs 35 which engage in notches 35 in the annular rim of the drive member 23. Thus, with the casing 35 connected to the knob 5 by the lugs 35 the rotation of the knob 5 is transmitted to the tumbler disk I1 and movement is communicated from that disk to the tumblers I6 and I5 by way of their lugs I9 in setting up the proper arrangement of the permutation disks for actuation of the bolt 8. This portion of the mechanism and its operation is more fully described in my pending application Serial No. 278,641, led June 12, 1939. g

The plate 9 which is rigidly associated with the bolt 8 carries a pawl 25K-connected to the plate by a pivot 25 and urged by a spring 21 into contact with the peripheries of the disk tumblers I5, I6 and I1 as seen in Fig. 3. These tumblers are notched 4as at 25 to receive the nose of the pawl 25 when the tumblers are adjusted in Vtheir bolt-releasing position, but, except when thus adjusted, the tumblers hold the pawl in engagement with a stop lug 44 upstanding in the casing I from a plate 45 which is slidably mounted adjacent the back wall I2 of the The plate 45 is separated from the tumbler disks in the casing by the partition I3 and is mounted for sliding between the end walls l0, I so as `to be movable in the same direction as the bolt 8 and its attached plate 9. The spindle 50 carries an arm 42 which bears against the edge 43 of the cam-shaped opening in the plate 4)` and this opening is so formed that rotation of the spindle 50 and its arm 42 operates to slide the plate 45 within the casing. This sliding movestanding stop 44 to engage a shoulder 45 which is the end of ja slot 46 in the plate 9 for Awithdrawing the bolt.

The forward end of the spindle 50 is nattened at 5I to nt into the iiat-sided opening 52 in the driving stud 53; and a cup-shaped head 54 on the stud iits over a reduced annular part 31 of the cylindrical lock casing 35. The part 31 is formed with a slot or aperture 38 which carries a clutch ball 55 and the key plug 3l has a reduced terminal portion 39 fitting rotatably within the annular part 31 of the casing, and providing a recessor pocket 56V in which the ball 55 normally rests. The inner surface of the cup-shaped head 54 is formed with a continuous series of pockets 51 similar to the pocket 56 and the thickness of the annular part 31` of the casing is less than the diameter of the ball 55. Thus the relative rotation of the plug terminal 39 through a few degrees within the head 54 of the driving stud 53 serves to cam the ball 55 out of the pocket 54 until the cylindrical surface of the plug terminal 39 supports the `ball in engagement with one of the pockets 51 so `that it constitutes a driving connection between the reduced portion 31 of the casing 30 and the stud 53. As already noted, the stud 53 is interconnected with the spindle 5I for rotating the latter and its attached arm 42 in the key operation of the bolt.

vThe key plug 3| is provided with pin tumblers or equivalent elements such as those seen at 60 in Fig. 2, and these tumblers normally interengage with grooves 6I in the casing 35. Insertion of aproper key in the key slot 1 serves to withdraw the tumblers 60 into the. plug and out of engagement with the grooves 5I to permit rotation of the plug within the casing, but this key leaves one tumbler 62 still projecting. A portion of the casing 35 is cut away at 53 to form an arcuate slot of limited angular extent, terminated by shoulders 64 and 65 so that the' relative rotation of the plug 3l within the casing 30 is thus limited, and further rotation of the plug by means of its key will carry with it the casing 35 after the limitedrotation has served to project the ball 55 into engagement with one of the pockets 51 of the driving stud 53. Such further rotation of the key-say, in clockwise direction, with the tumbler 62 engaging the shoulder 65- will turn the casing 3D and with it the spindle 50 and its arm 42 for moving the plate 4U in the direction to withdraw the bolt 8 which is shown projected in Fig. 4. Reverse rotation of the key and plug 3l will rst carry the projected tumbler 62 away from the shoulder 65 without turning the casing 30 or shifting the bolt, and as the plug 3i turns within the casing 30 the pocket 5B will momentarily receive the ball 55. But since the arcuate slot 63 extends equally in both directions from the position of the tumbler 62 when the plug is locked in the casing 30 it will permit further rotation of the plug in counter-clockwise direction, forcing the ball 55 into one of the pockets 51` and continuing until the tumbler $2 encounters the shoulder E4 whereupon the casing 30 itself will be turned in counter-clockwise direction, and will transmit such rotation to the spindle 5B and arm 42 carrying said arm and the cam plate 4B to the position indicated in full lines in Fig. 4, and projecting the bolt 8.

'But to permit withdrawal of the key, as is usual in locks of this type, it must be swung back to mid-position at which the tumblers 6D register with the proper grooves 6I of the casing 30 so that when the key is withdrawn the tumblers will be released for projection into these grooves 5I and the plug 3| will be locked against rotation in the position at which the recessor pocket 56 receives the clutch ball 55. Thus the inner end portion 31 of the lock casing 30` is normally disconnected from the head 54 of the driving stud 53 so that the knob 5 which is normally connected to the casing 3| can be rotated freely without actuating the spindle 50 and its arm 42.

With the knob 5 positively engaged with the tumblers I1 in a deiinite relation thereto, the permutation tumblers are adjusted by shifting the knob to certain successive dial readings secured by registering the proper scale points of its dial 6 with the xed index mark G6. This series of adjustments will serve as long as the clutch ball S4 remains in the same pocket 32 of the knob. But the key plug 3I is formed With a recess 61 circumferentially aligned with the clutch ball 34 `but normally spaced 90 degrees away from it, when the plug is in locked position in its casing 30. By means of a special key the locking tumblers 60 and also the special tumbler 62 may be withdrawn into the plug so as to permit relative rotation of the plug 3i within the casing 30 through more `than the angle permitted by the arcuate slot 53 and far enough to bring the recess 61 into registration with the ball 34. Slight rotation of the knob 5 relative to the casing 30 will then cam the ball 34 out of the pocket 32 which it occupies, and since the recess 61 is deep enough to hold the ball entirely clear of the inner surface of the knob 5 the latter may be turned freely through any desired angle, and will thus be shifted into a different relation to the casing 30 and to the tumbler Il which is interlocked with the casing through the driving member 23. The knob may then be reconnected to the casing 30 by engagement of the ball 3,4 in any other pocket 32 and by returning the plug 3| back to its normal locked position, thus camming the ball out of the recess 6l and forcing it back into driving relation with the konb at the new adjustment of the latter. If desired, .a second arcuate slot 63 may be formed in the casing to register with another special tumbler 69 Which will be left projected by the special key which is used for resetting the knob 5 as just described; and the slot E8 as shown in Fig. 1l, will permit only the exact 90 degrees of rotation of plug 3l in the casing 3G required to bring the recess 6l into registration with the ball 313.

I claim:

1. In a lock which includes a bolt and combination mechanism adjustable for operating the bolt, independent operating means for the bolt including a key-controlled cylinder lock comprising a key plug and a casing, said casing being constantly connected With the combination mechanism, a knob and clutch means normally connecting the knob with the casing, said key plug being formed to release the clutch when rotated through a limited angle by a reset key to permit resetting the knob in relation to said mechanism for changing the operating combination.

2. In a combination lock, a key controlled lock comprising a key plug and a cylindrical casing for the plug connected with the combination mechanism, a knob rotatably adjustable on the casing, clutch means movably carried by the casing and by which the knob is engageable with the casing at a plurality of positions of rotative adjustment, key operable cam means normally holding the clutch means in position to connect said knob with the casing, and movable by rotation of the plug by a proper key to a position in which said cam means releases said clutch means to permit rotative adjustment of the knob on the casing for changing its relation to the combination mechanism and thus altering the operating combination.

3. In a combination lock, a cylindrical casing connected with the combination mechanism, a knob rotatably adjustable on the casing and formed with a plurality of recesses open toward said casing, a clutch element carried by the casing and normally engaged with one of said recesses for connecting the knob with the casing, and key operable means rotatable in the casing, the rotation of said means in the casing acting to release said clutch means to permit rotative adjustment of the knob into a different relation with the combination mechanism for thus altering the operating combination.

4. In a combination lock, a cylindrical casing connected with the combination mechanism, a knob rotatably adjustable on the casing, said casing having an aperture with a clutch member carried therein, and a key plug rotatably mounted in the casing, said knob having a plurality of recesses open toward the casing and positioned to register with said aperture, the key plug normally supporting the clutch member in position to project into one of said recesses for locking the knob and casing together, said plug having a pocket registerable with the clutch member by rotative adjustment of said plug under control of a reset key to permit disengagement of the knob from the casing and rotative adjustment of the knob for changing its relation to the combination mechanism and thus altering thev operating combination.

5. In a lock mechanism which includes a bolt and combination mechanism adjustable for operating the bolt, independent operating means for the bolt including a key-controlled cylinder lock comprising a key plug and a casing, said casing being constantly connected with the combination mechanism, a knob and clutch means normally connecting the knob with the casing, said key plug being operable by a reset key to disengage the clutch to permit resetting the knob in relation to said mechanism for changing the operating combination, said plug including a tumbler which is left projecting when the plug is operated by said reset key, and the casing having an abutment shoulder positioned for encounter by the tumbler to limit rotation of the plug to the amount required for releasing the clutch.

6. In a lock which includes a bolt and combination mechanism adjustable for operating the bolt, independent operating means for the bolt including a key-controlled cylinder lock comprising a key plug and a casing, said casing being constantly connected with the combination mechanism, means for connecting said key plug with said independent operating means but normally disengaged therefrom, a knob and clutch means normally connecting the knob with the casing, said key plug being rotatable by a reset key to disengage the clutch to permit resetting the knob in relation to said mechanism, said plug including a tumbler which is left projecting when the plug is operated by said reset key and the casing having means to cooperate with said tumbler to limit rotation of the plug at the position for releasing the clutch.

7. In a lock which includes a bolt and combination mechanism adjustabe for operating the bolt, independent operating means for the bolt lncluding a key-controlled cylinder lock comprising a key plug and a casing, the casing havmg an aperture with a clutch elementl loosely carried therein, the plug having a recess normally registered with said aperture in the locked position of the plug with a cylindrical surface adjacent said recess, and the independent boltoperating means including an annular member having inwardly facing pockets positioned to register with the aperture of the casing Whereby rotation of the plug in its casing by means of a proper keyserves to force the clutch element outwardly into one of said pockets to interlock the casing with said annular member, and means for turning said casing to operate the bolt.

8. In a lock which includes a bolt and ccmbination mechanism adjustable for operating the bolt, independent operating means for the bolt including a key-controlled cylinder lock comprising a key plug and a casing, the casing having an aperture with a clutch element loosely carried therein, the plug having a recess normally registered with said aperture in the locked position of the plug with a cylindrical surface adjacent said recess, and the independent boltoperating means including an annular member having inwardly facing pockets positioned to register with the aperture of the casing whereby rotation of the plug in its casing by means of a proper key serves to force the clutch element outwardly into one of said pockets to interlock the casing with said annular member, the plug including a tumbler which is left projecting when the plug is operated by said key, and the casing having means positioned to engage said tumbler after limited rotation or 4the plug suicient to actuate the clutch element whereby further rotation of the plug operates the bolt.

9. In a lock which includes a bolt and combination mechanism adjustable for operating the bolt, independent operating means for the bolt including a key-controlled cylinder lock comprising a key plug and a casing, the casing having an aperture with a clutch element loosely carried therein, the plug having a recess normally registered with the said aperture in the locked position of the plug with a cylindrical surface adjacent said recess, and the independ ent bolt-operating means including an annular member having inwardly facing pockets positioned to register with the aperture of the casing whereby rotation of the plug in its casing by means of a proper key serves to force the clutch element outwardly into one of said pockets to interlock the casing with said annular member, the plug including a tumbler which is left projecting when the plug is operated by `said proper key, and the casing having a clearance groove for said tumbler terminating in an abutment shoulder positioned for encounter by the tumbler to limit the rotation of the plug within the casing for actuating the clutch element, such encounter providing a driving engagement by which further rotation of the plug operates the bolt.

10. In a lock, a bolt and operating means therefor including a key plug and a casing, said casing having an aperture with a clutch element loosely carried therein, the plug having a recess normally registered with said aperture in the locked position of the plug and having a cylindrical surface adjacent said recess, said operating means for the bolt including also an annular member having inwardly facing pockets posi tioned to register with the aperture of the casing whereby rotation of the plug in its casing by means of a, proper key serves to force the clutch element outwardly for interlocking the casing with the annular member, together with means for interlocking the plug with the casing upon further rotation of the plug whereby continued rotation of the plug serves to actuate the boltoperating means.

1l. In a lock which includes a bolt, combination mechanism adjustable for operating said bolt, independent means for operating said bolt, a key-controlled cylinder lock for actuating said independent means and a rotatable knob for adjusting the combination mechanism, said cylinder lock comprising a key plug and a casing, said knob being rotatably mounted on the casing, clutch means normally connecting the knob to the casing, and a second clutch means for connecting said casing with said independent bolt-operating means but normally disengaged therefrom, a coupling member constantly connecting the casing With the combination mechanism, said key plug being rotatable relatively to the casing through a limited angle in the actuation of the independent bolt-operating means, detent means limiting said angle but releasable by a key other than that which operates the bolt whereby the plug is permitted a greater angle of relative rotation for disengagement of the knob from the casing to allow resetting the knob in a dierent relation to the combination mechanism.

12. In a combination lock, a cylindrical casing connected with the combination mechanism, a knob rotatably adjustable on the casing, said casing having an aperture with a ball loosely carried therein, the diameter of the ball being greater than the thickness of the casing, and a key plug rotatably mounted in the casing, said knob having a plurality of recesses open toward the casing and spaced at intervals to register successively with said aperture, the key plug normally supporting said ball in the aperture in position to project into one of said recesses as a clutch member locking the knob and casing together, said plug having a depression deep enough to accommodate the portion of said ball by which it exceeds the thickness of the casing, said depression being registerable with the ball by rotative adjustment of the plug under control of a reset key to permit rotative adjustment of the knob relative to the casing for changing its relation to the combination mechanism and thus altering the operating combination.

13. In a lock which includes a bolt and combination mechanism adjustable for operating the bolt, independent operating means for the bolt including a key-controlled cylinder lock comprisihg a key plug and a casing, said casing having an aperture with a ball loosely carried therein, the diameter of the ball being greater than the thickness of the casing, the plug having a recess normally registered with said aperture in the locked position of the plug and deep enough to accommodate the portion of said ball by which it exceeds the thickness of the casing, said plug having a cylindrical surface adjacent the said recess, and the independent bolt-operating means including an annular member having inwardly facing pockets positioned to register with the aperture of the casing whereby rotation of the plug in its casing by means of a proper key serves to force the ball outwardly into one of said pockets to interlock the casing with said annular member, and means for turning said casing to operate the bolt.

HAROLD MACHINIST. 

